Road machine



Febf 2s', 1939.

Rl GEDSTAD ROAD MACHINE Filed July 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. GEDSTAD ROAD I'JACHINE Filed July 18. 1936 lIrlllllIlllllllllrlllulllll" Il Il Il Feb. 28, 1939.

Patented Feb. 28,1939

ROAD MACHINE Rudolph Gedstad, Peoria, Ill., assignor to Caterpillar Tractor Co., San Leandro, Calif., a oorporation of California Application July 18, 1936, Serial No. 91,359 2 Claims. (Cl. 180-1) My invention relates to automotive road machines of the type adapted for road maintenance work, and more particularly to means for turning such type of machine in a minimum space.

When a road machine is operated upon narrow roads thatl oder limited turning facilities, such as in mountainous regions where there are few crossroads, and where short back and forth runs are necessary such as on re-working small sections of roadway or on oil mix Work, it is desir- Y able to be able to turn the machine around quick- 1y and easily at each end of the run. Such machine is generally constructed with a very long rwheel base to provide ample room for the earth working means and to minimize vibration of the machine which would affect the working of the earth working means and, therefore, requires a large area in which to turn. Hence, when it is desired to turn the machine at the end of a run,` it is necessary to continue on until a. suitable crossroad or correspondingly large area is located, unless suitable mechanism is provided to enable the turning in a short space.

Road machines have been provided with means, in the form of a turntable device, for turning around in a limited space. Such device is generally centrally located beneath the frame of the machine, and is adapted when functioning to support the entire machine for pivotal movement at one point, thus, requiring an accurate balance .of the machine on the device before turning of the machine can be accomplished. Furthermore, after obtaining the proper balance the machine must be manually rotated en the turntable. Obviously, the use of such type of turning device, where a proper balance must rst be obtained and then a manual turning operation perfumed, necessitates costly delays.

My invention is designed to overcome the above described difdculties and has as its objects, among others, the provision of improved: n

(1) Means for turning a road machine in a limited space;

(2) Turning mechanism that is readily controlled from the operators station;

(3) Turning mechanism which is of economical and simple construction;

(4) Turning mechanism that is so positioned as not to interfere with the operational the earth working means or ground engaging tools of the road machine.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from a perusal ci the following descripmy invention comprises an adjustably supported ground engageable member, preferably in the form of a drivable wheel, mounted beyond or outside of the usual front and the rear ground engaging members or'wheels of the road machine; so as not to interfere with the earth working means which would otherwise occur if the turning device were located between the ground engaging members. The drivable or turning wheel is adjustably mounted upon the machine` adjacent an end portion thereof in such manner that its axis extends substantially in the same direction as the longitudinal axis or line of draft of the machine, and is normally positioned a sufilcient distance above the ground so as not to rinterfere with the normal travel of the machine.

Suitabletmeans are provided for lowering or raising the drivable wheel with relation to the frame ofV the machine to thereby place the wheel either in ground engaging or operative lposition on the ground, or in elevated or inoperative position with respect to the ground. By lowering the drivable wheel to operative position or in engagement with the ground, the portion or end 'of the road machine upon which the mechanism is mounted can be raised from the ground, thereby causing the ground engaging or wheel supporting members at such end to be raised from contact with the ground. In this position, the machine is carried upon the drivable wheel and on the ground engaging members or wheels at the opposite end of the machine. lDriving means are provided for rotating the drivable or turning wheel in either direction, so that, after the wheel has been lowered into driving engagement with the ground and a portion or end of the machine raised, in the manner previously explained, the wheel can be rotated to thereby cause the machine to be turned. When the machine has been turned, the rotation of the drivable wheel can be stopped, the lifted ground engaging members lowered to the ground and the drivable wheel then raised to inoperative position.

Reference will now be made to the drawings for a more detailed description of the invention. In the drawings: f

Fig. 1 is a schematic side' elevation of a type of automotive road machine with a preferred form of my turning mechanism applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the road machine illustrated in Fig. l, parts being broken away to illustrate more clearly the mechanism of my invention.y Y

Fig. `3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the iront portion of the road machine taken substanf :iially in a plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken in a plane indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal'section of a gear box which comprises a portion of the adjusting mechanism for the drivable turning wheel, taken in a plane indicated by the line 6-6 in Fig. 1. l v

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section of the gear box illustratedin Fig. 6, taken in a plane indicated by the line 1-1 in Fig. 6.

A type of automotive road machine disclosed herein for purposes of illustration. to which the turning device of my invention is secured, will in a plane .now be briefly described. The road machine comprises a main frame I8 including symmetrically disposed side members II and I2 connected by suitable cross members including front bolster I3. Front bolster I3 is formed as an integral casting and comprises spaced side members I4, held apart by transversely arranged horizontal flange I5 and transverse inclined flange I6. Bolster I3 serves a multiplicity purpose, flanges I4 and |61 thereof serving as a closing member for the ends 'of frame members II and I2 of the vehicle frame III, to which they are attached, while flange member I8 serves the additional purpose as an attaching means for securing any turning attachments thereto; flange member I5 besides serving as a spacer for members I4I4, also constitutes an integral anchor means for depending member I1, on which axle 28 is pivoted. Below horizontal flange I5 and integral with the other bolster parts, is a transverse vertical flange I1 which is forked adjacent its lower end and'has longitudinally alignedbosses I8 formed upon the forked ends thereof. Rigidly secured in bosses I8 is a shaft I9 upon which is pivotally mounted front axle 2II. Shaft I9 has a portion 2| projecting forwardly in front of axle 28 for a purpose tol be here- Inafter explained.

Frame III is provided with the usual ground engaging means or members at each end portion thereof to support the machine o n the ground, such as front steerable wheels 23 secured to the ends of front axle 20 to pivot about upright axes, and rear traction wheels 24. Traction wheels 24 are driven by an engine 25 located atv the rear of the machine above the lwheels 24; and the drive 'A to the Atraction wheels is controlled from an operators station 26 mounted onframe Ii immediately forward of engine 25. A steering whee121,

-mounted earth working tool or blade 30.

sembly which is held in any desired operating position by the'conventional forwardly extending drawbar 3| universally secured at 32 to front bolster I3, and by lift links'33 which are preferably adjustable as to length and are adjustably supported in suitable housings 34 universally mounted on frame side members II and |12. Raising and lowering of either end of blade 30 to adjust the angular position thereof in an upright plane is controlled by means of suitable selfauaaoo f locking nut and screw adjusting devices mounted in housings 34, only one of which is shown in Fig. 1; the usual means (not shown) being provided to adjust the circle for adjusting the angie of the blade with reference to the line of draft of the machine.

Each nut and screw'device is ai... l.ted by a shaft 36 which has one end connected thereto by suitable universal coupling 31. The opposite ends (not shown) of shafts 36 are connected to control mechanism in power control box 38 which is cononly one of which is shown in Fig. l, to operate the various adjusting mechanisms on the machine. The control lever 48 shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to eect driving of shaft 4I in leither direction to provide the means for transmitting power to operate the turning device of my invention. in a manner to be explained hereinafter.

Supporting means for the turning device is provided adjacent the front end portion of the machine, on front bolster I3 and on Vshaft I9. Se-

cured to transverse ange I6 (Fig. 3)4 of front bolster I3, by suitable bolts 45, is an inverted V- shaped bracket 41 reinforced by ribs 48 (Fig. 4)

formed betweenthe flanges thereof. Fixedly secured to the forwardly extending portion 2| ofv shaft I8, is a bracket 54 having a transversely extending face 55 verticallyaligned with the front face or iiange of bracket 41; a pair of parallel upright guides 60 being secured to such faces of the brackets 41 and 54. Each guide 68 is in the form of a U- channel to provide a track or guideway wherein runners secured to the turning device are slidably arranged. inasmuch as bracket -41 and bracket 54 are securely fastened to front bolster I3, which is secured to frame I0, and because vertical guides are securely mounted on brackets 41 and 54, a rigid unitary supporting structure is provided.

The turning device includes drivable ground engageable member or wheel 69 secured to shaft 18 journalled .for rotation, about an axis extending in the direction of the line of draft of the machine, in the lower end of tubular supporting member 12 therefor. Such member 12 has forked portion 13 at its lower end to accommodate the wheel, and has a pair of rearwardly extending runner arms 14 adjacent its upper and lower ends, slidably engaged in the guides 60.- Thus, support 12 is movably mounted to allow wheel 69 to be raised or lowered with reference to the ground. 4

Means are provided for effecting movement of the support 12 and hence wheel 69 relative to the ground, and at the same time to provide for holding the wheel 69 and the support 12 in a fixed position when in elevated position out of contact with the ground. For this purpose, forked portion 13 of support 12 is provided at its rear with ears 15 between which is pivotally mounted upwardly extending rod 16 having threads 11 adjacent its upper end. Threads 11 are engaged with nut 16 held against axial movement in gear housing 19 secured to the front face of bracket d?. Nut 1d has beveled gear 6| in driving engagement with lbeveled pinion 62 secured to` shaft Il'journalled in boss 94 on housing 19. Shaft 69 has a universal coupling connection 66 with ,shaft 61 which is driven from previously referred to shaft 4| 'in a y manner to be subsequently explained.

in Fig. 3, the\wheel 69 can be moved into contact with the ground, and after this occurs, further driving of shaft 81 in the same direction results in the front end portion of the machine including the front supporting wheels 23, being lifted of! of the ground., When the front end portion of the machine is lifted olf ofthe ground, means is provided for driving wheel 69 in either direction to eil'ect 4turning of the machine about the rear' supporting means 24 asan approximate pivot. A sprocket 90 is secured to a forwardly projecting portion of shaft 10, Aand is adapted to be driven through chain 9| engaging sprocket 92' secured to shaft 93journalled in bracket 94 secured to the top of tubular support 12. The rear end of shaft 93 has a universal coupling connecf tion 96 with telescopic shafting 91 which is also driven fromshaft 4| (Fig. 1).

Both shaft 61 and telescopic shafting 91 are connected with selective clutching mechanism or drive establishing means to enable connection of either of such shafts with shaft 4| to cause either movement of turning wheel 69 with respect to the ground or driving of such wheel when desired.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 6, telescopic shafting 91 is connected to shaft |00 journalled in selective clutch casing and shaft 01 is connected to shaft |02 also journalled in casing |0| and spaced from shaft |00. Gear |03 is secured to shaft |00, and a gear |04 is secured to shaft |02 but longitudinally displaced from gear |03. This enables either one of gears |03 or |04 to be selectively engaged by hand controlled clutch gear or element |06 slidably splined on shaft |01 journalied in casing 0| between shafts |00 and |02, and connected with the -previously described shaft 4| which can be caused to. be driven in either direction through manipulation of control lever 40. For effecting clutching of slidable gear |06 with either of gears |03 or |04, gear |06 is provided with annular groove 0 in which is engaged pin mounted on arm ||2 secured to pin'||3 pivotally mounted in the top of casing 10|. Pin I3 is adapted to be oscillated by means of arm I4 fixed to the pin and loosely engaged in eye ||4' formed in axially movable hand controlled link ||5 extending to a position adjacent the control box 38; suitable spring pressed latching means ||6 being provided between arm ||4 and casing |0| to hold the clutching gear |06 in neutral position or in eitherof its engaged positions with gears |03 or |04.

In operation, when the road machine has been stopped and it is desired to operate the turning device, the device can be lowered from the position shown in Fig. 1 to effect liftingfof the front end portion of the machine oif of the ground, by first engaging clutching gear |06 with gear |04 to establish connection between shaft I4| and shaft 61. Next, control lever 4,0 is moved in the proper direction to effect driving of shaft 4| in the direction for lowering of the drivable turning wheel 69. When the front end of the machine 75 has been lifted off of the ground the desired disauaeoo tance, control leve. 40 can be moved to neutral position to interrupt the drive to shaft 61. Then, clutching gear |06 can be moved into engagement with gear |03 to establish connection between shaft 4| and telescopic shaftlng 91 which, because of its telescopic nature, is adjustable as to length upon lowering or raising of the turning device. After engagement of gear |06 with gear |03 and while the front end of the machine is still off the ground, control lever 40 can be moved to either one of its positions to rotate shaft 4| in the desired direction for driving wheel 69 and thereby effect turning of the machine. During such turning, it will be apparent that drivable wheel 69 will move the machine laterally about the rear ground engaging wheels 24 as an approximate pivot, thus enabling the machine to be turned within a comparatively short turning radius.

After the machine has been turned, the turning device is restored to its original position in amanner which will be obvious from the foregoing explanation. It is to be noted that irrespective of the adjusted position of the turning wheel 69 with reference to the frame of the machine when it' is lifted oif the ground, it can always be driven in view of the fact that thedistance between the axes of shaft 10 and shaft 93 is fixed, and because of the telescopic shafting 91 adjustable as to length to compensate for change in distance between the top of the support 12 and gear box |0| upon movement of the support. Thus, wheel 69 can be driven irrespective of thelheight to which the front end of the machine may be raised above the ground. This is important in rough terrain where it is sometimes necessary to lift the machine higher than on perfectly flat ground.

Furthermore, it will be noted that the turning device is located beyond or outside the ground engaging supporting wheels 23 or 24 of the machine that is, it is not located between such wheels 23 and 24 which would result in interference with the ground engaging tools. Although in the preferred commotion, the drivable ground engageable wheel 69 is mounted adjacent the front end of the machine in front of the axis of rotation of the front ground engaging wheels 23, it is apparent that it maybe mounted adjacent the rear of the machine or rear wheels if so desired.

To prevent either of front wheels .23 from dragging while turning the road machine, which a might be caused because of the usual pivotal mounting of front axle on shaft I9, means is preferably provided to maintain the front axle 20 in a substantially horizontal position when the front of the machine is lifted off of the ground. This means may comprise a U-shaped bumper |20, in the form of a single leaf spring, which is secured to lower arms 14 and has its vends extending rearwardy to a point above the axle'20. Thus, when .the turning device is lowand dragging.

I, therefore, claim as my invention:

1. A vehicle having a main frame structure supported at one end thereof upon wheelsand at the other end upon wheels mounted on an y axle pivoted to said frame to permit oscillatory said pivoted axle at either side of its pivot point to preclude unbalancing of said axle and consequent dragging of one of the wheels mounted thereon during subsequent operation of said turning device.

2. A vehicle having a main frame structure supported at one end thereof upon wheels and at the other end upon wheels mounted on an axle pivoted to said 4frame to' permit oscillatory Inovement of said axle in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, a device for enabling turning of said vehicle comprising a. wheel normally carried out of contact with the ground, means for lowering said wheel into contact with the ground to raise said pivoted axle above its normal height from the ground, and resilient means in the form of a leaf spring actuable into pressure engagement with said pivoted axle to either side of its pivot point upon operation of said lowering means to preclude unbalancing of said pivoted axle when lifted above its normal height above ground, whereby dragging of one of the wheels mounted on said pivoted axle during subsequent operation of said turning device is precluded.

RUDOLPH GEDSTAD. 

